Once Burned, Twice Shy
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: He's been burned before, but never like this. This god-awful ache in his chest just won't go away, no matter how much he might want it to. Its always there, always a part of him, reminding of his failure. Always with him, now matter how much he might try. A new life, a new city. Different girls, same burn. So the saying goes: Once Burned, Twice Shy. NarutoxMelanie. Romance. Angst.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Curse you Batman! I was perfectly content with updating my regular stories until an old friend introduced me to this series I'd seen once when I was a kid: Batman Beyond. I'm already up to season two, and so far I must admit, I like what I've seen. There were so many throwbacks to he original series that I couldn't help but to enjoy myself. This particular little ficlet, was inspired by the episode "Dead Man's Hand" for those of you who have seen it, I think it was one of the more enjoyable episodes. That was when something ocurred to me. Terry never really had a rival or a true nemesis to contend with in the series, did he? An anti-hero, if you will. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it might be amusing to see his reaction when faced with a certain brash blond with a penchant for women and the unpredictable.**

**And with that...**

**...enjoy this latest-and last-masterpiece, Once Burned, Twice Shy!**

_"Funny thing about masks. You never know who's wearing one."_

_~?_

**Once Burned, Twice Shy**

_"Abunai, McGinnis-san!"_

Terrence "Terry" McGinnis looked up just in time to catch a flash of sapphire and saffron in his peripheal vision. Then someone bowled him over. _Hard. _Said unfortunate someone spat an impreciation in japanese as they went down together, sent sprawling down the steps leading to the school building. A chorus of gasps and sympahetic cries greeted their unfortunate tumble as they toppled down the stairs, tangled up in a mess of arms and legs and angry curses.

Stars-whole planets-exploded before Terry's vision as he struggled to untangle himself from his attacker; it took him several seconds to realize those stars came from the fall, not from being struck on the head. Wincing at the pain throbbing in the back of his skull, he turned himself toward the one responsible for this ungodly misfortune.

_"Baka yarou!" _An insult assaulted his ears. "_Kono yarou!"_

The culprit scrambled backwards like a drunken crab, cursing all the while in a language Terry couldn't comprehend, no matter how hard he tried. _Right._ Terry chastised himself. _Japanese._ He'd taken a refresher course once in language class, and he knew just enough to know he'd been on the receiving end of a verbal beat down. The blond was glaring bloody red daggers at him, cradling a bloodied knee he'd suffered like it was made of glass or something. He didn't seem to be in pain. If anything he looked downright furious.

Terry blanched; he'd been in such a daze he hadn't noticed the student until it was too late.

"Sorry?" he offered lamely.

Silence reigned supreme.

"It's...fine." The boy sighed at length, switching over to nearly fluent english whilst he dust himself off; when next he blinked, those crimson orbs were gone. "I was the one who ran into you, anway. Besides, my jacket cushioned the fall. I think." He picked himself up with a groan, whiskered cheeks pinching angrily as he struggled to recover up the belongings his bag had vomitted. Interestingly enough it appeared to be all but devoid of schoolbooks; even from this angle, Terry could clearly see what appeared to be the glint of metal reflecting into the afternoon light. What was that, a knife or something?

But the angle and make were all wrong...

He thought he caught sight of something else, there in that pack. A radio. And a mask. Something that held an eerie resemblance to that of a fox...

"Oi, teme?" the student snapped. "You gonna stare all day or are ya gonna give me a hand?"

Shaking off his lingering suspicions, Terry offered him a hand. The student took it and allowed himself to be helped to his feet, something slipped out of his pocket as he rose. Instinctively, Terry dipped a hand down for it, his fingers closing around.

A wallet? He flicked it open, and finally found himself face to face with the likeness of the whiskered blonde; except this time-thanks in part to the ID-he had a name for the face. Unbidden, something told him to check inside, so, when the blonde wasn't looking, he did. And what did he find? Money. A lot of money. And not just in credit cards, but actual bills. Paper bills. Terry gave one a cursory glance, inspected it, found nothing out of the odrinary. A thorn of suspicion pricked him and held him back. What would a student be doing with so many unmarked bills?

"Naruto?"

The teen's head snapped up to favor him with a sharp, jaded glance.

"That depends. Who's asking?"

Terry didn't answer. He was still struggling to come to terms with the

"Hey! That's mine!" The blonde exclaimed, spying the wallet in his hands, snatching it back. "Whaddya think yer doing?!" Terry allowed the wallet to be taken; his mind was already awhirl with the realization of who this boy was. Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. He knew that name. Be it the bright shirt or the dark jeans he always seemed to favor the colors of orange and black; they were as distinguished, as those whiskers that tripiled either of his cheeks and that unruly mess of jagged platinum blond he called hair.

Almost _everyone_ knew that face-that name-at least around the school.

Naruto was odd. Near perfect scores all across the board, popular with the jocks-not to mention the ladies-well liked in general. And yet...there was something off about him. Every afternoon-much to the consternation of those very same peers-the blonde ate lunch by himself. It wasn't that he was a loner per se, Naruto simply seemed to cherish his privacy, more than most. He was almost always the first one in class, the last one to leave, and always, _always_ the kind to speak his mind; to swing first and ask quesitons later.

If he had a beef with you, then god help you.

Strangely enough, Terry sympathized with the boy. Leading a double life as Batman he had oft suffered the misfortune of being scrutinized for events he couldn't control. Privacy was something precious, something he could ill-afford when he was needed by Gotham.

What little time he _did_ have_-when duty didn't call-_was often spent with his longtime girlfriend, Dana, but even their relationship was beginning to fray under the constant strain of being the Batman. If only he could tell her...god knew there were times when he wished he could. Maybe...no. Terry wouldn't. He couldn't. That would put her at risk. Such was the life he lived. But Naruto didn't have to worry about that now, did he? It was widely known that the blonde was supposedly estranged from whatever family he might've had and lived alone in the upper echelons of Gotham. Not a rich kid, but not exactly poor, either.

In a way, he almost envied the blonde his normalcy.

"Moshi Moshi? Hello?" Naruto waved a hand before Terry's face. "Earth to Terry! McGinnis? Anyone home?"

Terry blinked.

"Oh. Sorry about the wallet."

"Like I said, it's fine." Naruto muttered beneath his breath as he counted the money in the wallet. "You didn't take anything, did you?"

Terry shook his head.

"You know, I envy you."

"How so?" Naruto quirked a brow, his attention riveted upon the floor as he retrieved the last of his belongings and placed them in his bag. "I'm just your average, ordinary guy." Were one to listen closely enough, they might've detected just a sliver of strain-a figment of falsehood-in the blonde's words. "There's not much to envy."

Terry shrugged.

"Well...from what I've heard about you, you've got a good life."

_It was the wrong thing so say._

Naruto turned on Terry with such speed that the crime-fighter thought the blond would actually take a swing at him. His eyes were the color of blood, slitted pupils narrowing upon him with intent.

**"And what would you,"** he replied in a low, deadly voice that wasn't entirely his own. **"Know about our life?"**

_Our?_

Terry almost balked at the gravel in his voice, at the blatant anger in those words; unable to understand what had caused the sudden mood swing. But he pressed on regardless. He wasn't looking for a fight. Not yet. A deep breath later, and he tried to placate the blonde.

"Look man, whatever I said, I'm sorry-

_"Sorry?"_

This time Naruto did swing, connecting a solid punch that bent Terry backward but did not move the fighter from his place. Terry did not return the blow-though he was sorely tempted-but rubbed his jaw appreciatively in pain. _Good punch,_ he mused, _Damned good punch. _Naruto glared at him a moment longer and McGinnis was suddenly-painfully-aware that they were alone. Their fellow students,having realized the two of them had survived their impromptu fall, had long since lost interest and departed. It was just the two of them. Alone.

_'Shit,'_ A touch of dread ran its flighty fingers down his spine, _'Just who the hell is this guy?'_

Naruto made an angry noise between his teeth.

**"Funny, I don't recall asking you to feel sorry for us."**

An overpowering sensation of pressure bore down upon Terry McGinnis like an invisible hand. He sensed something enormous nearby, silent in the afternoon light, like a giant passing within arms reach. A great, gravid deadly prescence too huge to grant him notice. He glanced to Naruto and saw him smirk, _smirk_ as Terry's fingertips pressed against his temples. A droplet of blood fell from his nose. And then as soon as it had come it was gone; the pressure vanishing from Terry's brain as though it had never been.

He slumped to his knees gasping for breath, sweat beading upon his brow. He hazarded a glance up at Naruto, only to find the blond looming over him. Oddly enough his eyes were no longer that sinister shade scarlet; they'd since reverted to the color of sapphire skies as he looked on.

"I don't need or want your pity, McGinnis." Terry became dimly aware of Naruto helping him to his feet_-when had he fallen?-_and he was left with no choice but to aqueisce and accept his tormentor's aid. "But I swear to kami, you spout bullshit like that again and I'll make you wish you were never born." He hoisted him up against a wall and held him there, fingers wrapping around his throat like a vice. "Do we have an understanding?" Naurto's words were pleasant, but there could be no denying the implied threat lurking beneath his tone.

_"Ugh!"_

McGinnis groaned. He knew he was missing something here, but the ache in his brain wouldn't let him _think._ He could barely even bring himself to _breathe._ Naruto increased the pressure of his hold, fingers digging into the supple muscle of Terry's thoat with inescapable pressure. Terry aimed a kick at his chest, but it was like striking steel; no effect whatsoever. Naruto squeezed again and his vision began to blacken around the edges plunging him into a dark hazere between life and death. Was this how it would end, then? Strangled at the hands of a stranger? What a way to go...

Abruptly, the blond loosed him.

Air; sweet, blessed, life-giving air flood Batman's lungs

"Say, don't you have a city to patrol or something, McGinnis?" Without another word Naruto released him and stepped backwards into the shadows afforded by the rising sun, words trailing after his retreat. "Or perhaps I should call you...Batman?"

_"What?!"_

Terry's head snapped back and forth, a puppet severed from its strings, desperately searching for the blond. Naruto was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he'd just up and vanished, leaving him stand there, speaking with empty air. Or had he ever been there to begin with? A flash of agony in his brain reminded him of the intense mental assault the blonde had inflicted upon him. Oh yes, he'd been here alright. There could be no imagining the sort of pain he was agonizing in.

Yes, there was certainly something odd about the blond. Anyone with that...ability, was one to be watched for.

Maybe he should go patrol after all...

* * *

_(Sometime later)_

"I think we went a little too far."

**"How do you figure?"**

Naruto feigned a shrug as he peered down from his balcony, overlooking Gotham City in all its technological glory and splendor. The sun had finally begun to set, draping the buildings in its golden glow, casting shadow after shadow upon the street as night came to claim the city once more.

**"Earth to kit!"**

Naruto blinked, momentarily drawn from his reveries as Kurama's voice echoed within the confines of his skull.

"Sorry, what was the question?"

**"I was asking why you didn't just off that McGinnis boy back there."**

"Isn't it obvious? The kid's the new bat on the block-

**-not to mention our competition-**

"Quiet!" he snapped! "So I just wanted to rough him up a little. But then you tried to strangle him! How many times have I told you to watch our temper?!"

**"He insulted us!" **

"Case in point!"

Naruto shook his head, dispelling his partner's arguement as he turned his gaze unto the city below.

Gotham was lovely, in her own unique way. With her towering spires and technological advancements, she was truly a city of the future. Even so, she still failed to compare to the resplendent natural beauty of Naruto's home village. Konoha. So many years had passed since that fateful day, so many days, and still he pined for a return to his home, a return to normalcy.

Twenty years.

Twenty years since he found himself flung forward in time to this future, trapped at the ripe age of nineteen. One did not simply build up that much chakra and clash bijudama with the _Juubi _without suffering some sort of consequence. He took some solace in the fact that the Fourth Shinobi War had been won; they must have won, else there would be a giant red moon hanging ove rhis head right now. Or maybe they had lost after all and he was trapped in an illusion right now? Naurto shook his head. Best not to think of such things. That way lay madness.

**"Well if this is an illusion its a damned good one."** Kurama interjected.

"Oh?"

**"Have you _seen _some of the women here kit?! I didn't think they made skirts that short! Oh, that's right, I almost forgot."** Sarcasm dripped from the kitsune's tone. "**You've been too busy living like a monk ever since that pink-haired banshee rejected you, and that was _before_ we landed here! What's that saying you humans have? Once burned, twice shy?"**

Naruto grimaced. It was true Sakura had ended their tennuous relationship during the war; he didn't need to be reminded of that.

"That was low."

But Kurama wasn't finished.

**"And what have you done since then, with the last twenty years of your life? You've taken it upon yourself to fight crime, with little to no recognition! And really, Yoko? You couldn't have thought up a better name for yourself? Its no wonder no one's heard of us! We'd be better of robbing banks, making a fortune, or-**

The kitsune was about to continue when-mercifully-a sqwuak of static grated across Naruto's ears. Silently praising kami for divine intervention, the blond strode from the balcony and into his apartment. It wasn't quite the best place to live, but it was home.

**"Are you even listening to me?"**

"Will you be quiet?!" Naruto shushed the fox. "I'm getting something."

Naruto craned an ear as he adjusted the headset, filtering the feed into his right ear. The minitranceiver he'd planted on McGinnis was doing its job magnificently. He'd listened attentively whilst 'Batman' had attempted to stop a yacht robbery-small change really-some hours after their encounter and had been paying close attention, ever since. Dampened by the deluge of information, his enthusiasm had begun to wane over the hours as Terry returned to base-wherever that was-whilst he listened. Oh, he'd wondered who that old fellow was on the other end but the second voice had done little than ignite a passing interest. Until seconds before, he'd allowed his mind to drift in and out of conversation with his tenant. Until now.

"Where did you get this?" A scratchy voice asked.

Naruto was perversely pleased to hear McGinnis curse.

"Hey, don't look at me! I have no idea how that got there-

"Give me that!"

Naruto winced as a sharp electronic squeal greeted his ears; so much for his bug. But not all was lost.

Just before his little receiver had been discovered and crushed underfoot, he'd detected something; a certain turn of phrase had piqued his interest.

"Royal Flush Gang, eh?"

_Interesting._

But ultimately not his concern.

Naruto stepped back inside his apartment and discarded the headset and equiptment, reaching for his jacket as he went. An errant thought locked the door behind him, and then he was off. Maybe that old fuzzball was right. A night off wouldn't kill them. Kami knew he deserved it after all he'd done for this city. With McGinnis serving as the new Batman, there had been precious little in the way of crime as of late; maybe it really was time to take off the mask...at least for a night.

**"Now were are you going?" **Kurama inquired.

Naruto whistled tunelessly.

"You said so yourself, I need to get out more." He shouldered his jacket. "So that's what I'm doing. Goint out."

**"And this has nothing to do with McGinnis?"**

"Nope."

**"So we're seriously going clubbing?"**

"Yep."

**"This IS going to involve women, I trust?"**

Narut flushed, the tips of his ears burning bright pink.

"For the love of kami, I've told you a million times; _I am not gay!" _he glared at his tenant from within the confines of the seal. "Yes, I am going out! No, this does not involve McGinnis, nor do I swing that way! And yes, **YES,** for the upteenth time, I'm going to prove you wrong!"

**"Oh?"** he could see the intrigue glimmering in those crimson orbs. **"How about we make a little bet, then?"**

"Bring it!"

"If you can get at least one girl to kiss you tonight, I'll stop complaining."

"You're on!"

**"But if you don't...**

Naruto gulped.

"If I don't...

Kurama grinned, exposing row upon row of sharp teeth.

**"Then I'll forcibly assume direct control and give the ladies of Gotham such a good time it'll put Bruce Wayne to shame."**

The former chunin paused, weighing the pros and cons of such a bargain; on one hand, he would give almost anything to be rid of his tenant's constant complaining. On the other...he was fairly certain surrendering the rights to his body-even for a single night-was bound to be something he'd regretted. Kitsune or not, he shuddered to think of what Kurama might do with his body if was given leave to do as he pleased. But Naruto was nothing if not stubborn; he refused to back down from such an affront to his pride.

"D-Deal!" He extended his hand and bumped fists with his partner. "You're on, fuzzball!"

The kitsune's grin was the sfuff of nightmares.

_"Shway."_

**A/N: And there you have it. I'm thinking the pairing will be NarutoxMelanie or NarutoxMaxine, hell, maybe both! I've seen how fiercely loyal Terry is to Dana, and to be frank, I really don't want to mess with that. Also, its heavily implied that _this_ Naruto came from his own universe, and got himself flung far, far into the future. With the Fourth Shinobi War over, and our heroe's aging slowed to a crawl thanks in part to his tenant, what else did you expect him to do, commit himself to a life of crime? Nope, didn't think so! Hilairty is bound to ensue next chapter over Naruto and Kyuubi's little bet! Melanie's going to be in for one hell of a surprise...**

**Which brings us to the all important question...is Gotham real, or fake? Is Naruto in reality, or is he trapped in the Moon's Eye genjutsu? What do you think! One can only wonder...**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review...Would ou Kindly? And enjoy the preview! One more thing, you can expect an update for DIE ANOTHER DAY very soon now!**

_"Do you know what happens when people go out looking for revenge?" Naruto asked._

_She didn't respond._

_"They get it. Along with all of the guilt remorse that goes along with it."_

_"And I suppose you would know…" Melanie said sarcastically. She tried not to laugh._

_Naruto frowned._

_"More than you'll ever know..._

_"And why is that?"_

_There was just a touch of hesitation in his words._

_"I've...been around awhile, Mel."_

**R&R! =D**


	2. It Runs in the Family

**A/N: Wow! I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last chapter! To be honest, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone as of late, and not just with my stories. As it turns out I may be moving after August-much to my infinite displeasure-and to honestly I'm really not looking forward to it. Moving entails packing, cleaning, driving, _unpacking,_ and god knows what else. Did I mention someone in my family has tied the knot? Or at least they will, come August. It doesn't help the fact that we have a HUGE house! know precious little about future Gotham, save that its far more advanced than**

** As promised? And with that being said...**

**...onto the next chapter of Once Burned, Twice Shy!**

_"Spry as ever, I see."_

_~Bruce Wayne._

**It Runs in the Family**

Contrary to popular belief_-and despite what his tenant might think of him-_Naruto was no stranger to the club scene. He'd paid numerous visits to the Juice Bar in the past, having passed over it several times during his nightly sojourns out on the city. He'd never gone in of course, one could not simply stroll inside wearing a superhero costume, but there had been times when he wished he had. There had been many a fine broad here at night, and truly, the only thing that prevented him from ever going down there had been his own hesitation.

The same could not be said however, of Terry Mcginnis.

Naruto arched an eyebrow as he saw the current batman below, rushing inside the club as if though life depended on it. The guard at the door didn't so much as spare him a passing glance; Naruto mentally added this location to his mental list of the places McGinnis frequented. Just in case. One never knew when you might need a leg up on the mysterious Batman...

**"Oh, no you don't."** Kurama bit out.** "We're not here to tangle with him, remember?"**

Naruto nodded.

"Yeah." To be honest, he really didn't have any _real_ beef with McGinnis-he just wanted to see if he would be able to live up to Batman's legacy. He had...a business relationship with the old bat. Back before the old man had retired and dropped off the grid. He never did discover his identity. But McGinnis? It was painfully obvious. Disappearing during class, frequent abscences, secretive behavior? It was obvious, almost painfully so. He was surprised no one had put two and two together yet.

Naruto certainly had. He figured if he tailed the bat-boy long enough, he'd discover the original batman. He had some...questions to pose to him. Such as how to get the hell out out of this universe and back to his own in one piece. If there was any way-anyone-who could do it, it was the bat. But enough about that. He wasn't here to cause trouble, not tonight; tonight he was here to blow off some steam.

Rubbing his palms together, Naruto approached the drop point.

**"So, are we going to do this or not?" **His partner's voice was a growl in his head, one he gladly gave in to.

Taking a deep breath, he risked a final glance at the alley below, contemplating his chances. Not a short drop, but a step off the curb compared to most of his falls. Steeling himself, the shinobi forced his right foot forth then his left, stepping off the rooftop. For a moment he dangled there, looking out on the city-scape below. The gavity took hold. Gotham blurred beneath his feet as he fell, the buildings and their lights warping into an easel of blotted black and mottled yellow.

The ground rushed up to greet him, ready to render him a smear upon the ground. And it would have, had he not forced chakra into his legs at the last instant.

Naruto struck the street feet-first, his chakra enhanced limbs absorbing the impact in stride and channeling it into the pavement. There was a harsh _"crrrrrrraaaack!"_ as the street sundered itself beneath the soles of his boots, manifesting as a loud pop that had everyone glancing this way and that...

...except into the alleyway where Naruto had just landed.

**"Always did have a flair for the dramatic, didn't you?"**

_Well excuuuuuse me for having some fun!_

Adjusting his jacket, the former shinobi strode into the dim light affored by the windows of the club, looking as though he'd just stepped off the street.

The bouncer let him pass with a nod; the door whooshed open to expose him to the nightlife of Gotham City. He caught a few appreciative glances as he passed through-and why not? His time had been well spent here in Gotham: he was a few inches taller now-nearly six foot- his shoulders broad, his body lean with muscle from exercise and proper diet. He cut an imposing figure in the crowd with his black leather jacket and jeans. If the orange shirt worn beneath the former didn't attract attention, he didn't know what would.

Apparently it worked; he hadn't been in for more than a minute or so before he found himself accosted by someone.

"Hello, handsome." A hand tugged at his shoulder, slowing his advance into the crowd.

"Wha...?"

Natuto performed a half turn, a reply forming on his lips as he saw the girl-and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

_"Sakura?!"_

"Who's Sakura?" The girl blinked. "The name's Sarah."

Naruto calmed his hammering heart with an effort.

This girl _did_ have share a resemblance with his long lost love; but her eyes were black, not green. And the color of her hair was all wrong; it was more of a neon pink-suggesting she'd died it-than that of the kind cherry blossoms to which he'd come to associate his teammate. And the outfit, her body sheathed in a little black and white tanktop-each several sizes too small for her-was something Sakura would never ever wear. Honestly could you get anymore slutty?

"Sorry," he muttered, pushing past her. "Must've mistaken you for someone else."

The girl pouted, but stepped aside nonethelss.

**"What the actual fuck, kit?" **Kyuubi grated in his ears. **"You had her!"**

"I _had_ someone without two brain cells to rub together." Naruto bit back, mentally chastising himself for the slip. "I'm not looking for a slut. I'd rather have a girl with personality."

**"Not this again! Honestly, you need to learn to lower your expecations a little-"**

Naruto ruthlessly tuned his partner out as he strode onto the dance floor. His heightened sense of smell was nearly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people packed in here; it was all he could do to think, let alone think. Ever since merging with Kurama, he'd found all of his senses had been heightened. And not just his sense of smell. He could _hear _conversations rising over the deep bass of the club, like the drums of some great hunter out for his blood. He could _see _McGinni's a few paces away, almost obscured by the throng of teenagers, making his way toward a lone female on the dancefloor.

His girlfriend, perhaps? He almos started after him, then stayed himself with an effort. No, it was not his concern.

Naruto stalked in the opposite direction and did his best to lose himself in the music. It didn't work. Somewhere amidst the crush of writhing bodies, flashing lights, and pulsating rhythms, he realized it. No matter how many girls he saw, no matter how little clothing they wore, he still wasn't feeling anything.

This wasn't for him.

He simply couldn't bring himself to connect to anyone here; though countless opportunities presented themselves, his outlook had already been soured. The Sakura look-alike had startled him. That was all it'd took. He pushed through the throng, and made for the door, his pace hastening as he offered his condolences to those he passed.

**"I knew you'd chicken out."** Kyuubi didn't sound surprised. **"Ah well. Looks like its my turn to have som fun...**

Naruto bit back a sigh; a deal was a deal after all...

_Just don't destroy anything-_

"Not your scene?"

Naruto stopped in his tracks, his face slowly appearing over his shoulder as he curiously regarded the one who had spoken. A look of irritation, then confusion, crossed his eye as it regarded the one standing behind him standing in his blind spot.

Blond and kitsune blinked as one.

"Beg your pardon...?"

The words died away as he saw her.

She was a stunner in a black shirt and pink miniskirt, each of which clung to her curves like a second skin. Her body was the color of dusk, her black lipstick lips curled in a slight smile; her eyes the most dazzling shade of baby blue, framed by blond hair the color of straw. And she was looking at him. Right at him. Naruto-much to his chargin-felt his jaw, pop open. Holy crap! What a stunner! This girl was absolutely gorgeous, from her pretty little head right down to her black boots. There was a strange lonely air about her-she hadn't worn these clothes to attract attention, merely because she could.

"I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable you looked in there." she remarked off-handedly.

**"Baka!"** Kurama mentally backhanded him across the head. **"Say something!"**

Naruto coughed.

"I'm...not really the clubbing sort."

"Is that so?" The young woman pushed herself off the wall, blond locks drifting, hips swaying with the motion. "Me neither." She turned her head and paced away, an unspoken invitation for him to follow. Naruto, much to his charign, found himself doing just that. There was something about this girl-something that drew him in, leaving him helpless but to follow. She led him away from the club with slow, sure strides, soon enough the pounding music and blinding strobe lights of the night were only a memory, leaving them wandering the darkened streets of Gotham.

"So what brings you out here?"

"I've got this...afterschool thing," Naruto chose his words carefullly as he paced behind her, unwilling to give too much away. "Takes up a lot of my time. Too much. I thought I'd blow off some steam."

"Maybe you should ask your boss for more time off." she suggested.

"See, that's the problem." Naruto found himself replying. "I'm sorta my own boss. How do you ask _yourself_ for time off?" Hey, it wasn't a lie! His need to right wrongs was what drove him to fight crime so in essence he _was_ his own boss. Kinda. Sort of. Technically.

Remarkably, his words won a smile from her, however slight.

"So what kind of afterschool job is this, anyway?"

Naruto couldn't quite help himself this time; his lips quirked in a slight sneer. Did killing jokers and butchering big-time criminals qualify as a job? Probably not. He'd gotten an awful lot of flak back in the day as Yoko; unlike Batman, he wasn't content to bring his quarry in and leave them locked up. Oh no, he much rather prefered to put them down on the spot right then and there. Funny how a couple of broken necks had the rest of the criminal underworld running like a bunch of scared animals.

"I...run errands, of a sort." he answered, watching her grab hold of a nearby street lamp and swing around it. "Its kinda hard to explain. What about you? What were you doing out there? Home come you didn't go in?"

"Didn't know anyone." she clutched the pole and leaned into it, her cheek rubbing up against the metallic fixture.

"New in town?"

_"Perpetually." _his fellow blond sighed, her eyes drifting shut. "My parents move around a lot, cuz of work." She pulled herself away from the pole and, strode to a nearby balcony draping an arm across a nearby railing, gazing out at the glittering city strewn out below them.

"Hey, at least you get to see the world." Naruto felt a touch of envy at his own admission; he could've left Gotham a dozen times by now-kami knew there had been plenty of chances-and yet he hadn't. Because he was afraid. Not afraid to leave Gotham mind you, but unwilling to venture out into the world and see what else had changed in his abscence. Oh, there had been that one time where he'd helped Superman in Metropolis, but he'd practially bolted back to Gotham afterwards.

It had been too much a culture shock, seeing how the world had changed, how time had moved on without him. It was ironic; he was almost godlike now after the merger, nothing short of decapitation could kill him for more than a few days _at least._ And yet, Naruto was absolutely terrified of leaving this city. He was fairly certain there were cities like Gotham and Metropolis all over the world. That didn't bother the blond all that much anymore. What _did_ bother him was the knowledge that Japan had probably changed as well.

Konoha was gone. Everything that he had fought for had ceased to be. No, Naruto didn't want to see the world. He was perfectly content to live in his own corner of it.

"Yeah, see the world and lose all your friends." His mystery girl replied bitterly, her reply dragging him from his reverie as she leaned down to cradle her head in her arms. "You know what its like, being uprooted every few weeks? Never quite knowing what's going to be happening next?"

Naruto frowned. He actually had a fair understanding of just that. He knew what it was like to be uprooted, to suddenly lose everything he had known and find himself catapaulted hundreds of years into the future. She might share some semblance of his pain, this girl.

"I'm beginning to get an idea of what that's like." Naruto found himself joining her at the rail. "My line of work tends to be...unpredictable."

"Two of a kind." she scooted closer, sidled up to him until their shoulders touched. "That's what we are."

Naruto couldn't help himself; he laughed-how long had it been since he'd done that?-he liked this girl! She understood!

"I'm Melanie." She finally introduced herself, "Melanie Walker."

Naruto smiled.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

That drew a blink from Melanie.

"Isn't that japanese?"

"Yeah."

She smiled again; a true smile that reached her eyes.

And then she was kissing him, her lips moving over his. Naruto froze, eyes bulging. It was all so sudden, too sudden. He didn't even have time to raise his defenses; the moment her lips touched his something sparked inside him, something he'd thought long since dead. A growl tore itself out of his throat, and had she been looking, Melanine might've seen those bulging blue eyes snap into sinister scarlet slits, his fingers crook into all too familiar claws. Consumed by desire he was helpless to anyting but grab her shoulders and draw her deeper into the kiss.

**"Oh _hell_ yes!"** Kurama exulted. **"It's about damn time you got some action, kit!"**

Naruto wasn't listening.

_Mine!_

He pressed his lips against hers. Lips so different from his own; softer, as soft as rose petals, fuller, holding him in thrall at very first brush. He pulled back, marveling, and then he went in again...marveled anew at the decadence of her...then again, and this time, moaning, she opened for him.

Her tongue rolled against his, bringing with it the tastes of summer: berries dipped in cream, newly blooming roses and sultry midnights. He dipped lower still, face brushing against hers and she came alive in his arms; throwing her arms around his neck with a planitive cry. As focused on her as he was, he was able to follow her lead. When her tongue thrust, he knew to meet it. When her tongue retreated, he knew to chase it. He relished every new experience, growling with a sudden desire for more. More..._everything._

Her fingers slicked through his hair, decadent sensations dancing over his scalp, tickling skin that had never before been touched by another's hands he'd come to Gotham.

"Up?" An inquiry.

When she failed to immediately respond, Naruto cupped her bottom and lifted her, forcing her to straddle him, settle her weight against him. And oh, sweet heavens, _yes, _that was exactly what he'd needed. Pleasure rocketed through him, a beautiful sort of torture. She moaned into his mouth, her nails sinking into his scalp, as if to hold him in place. As if she worried, he would try to get away. Never would he do such a thing. He was lost, tied only to the woman in his lap and glad for it. Except...

Except the new position was no longer the blessing he'd thought.

Memories crashed down on Naruto, drowning him in a flood of nostalgia. Sclaret snapped back into sapphire, his feral features fading in the wake of a single name.

_Sakura..._

The jinchuuriki jerked back as if he'd been _burned._

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing!" he found himself sputtering as he lowered Melanie to her feet. "That was just kinda quick, don't you think?"

"With me its always been now or never." she purred up at him.

**"I like this girl!"**

_'Urusai!'_

"Ever consider a later?" Naruto shot back.

Another sultry smile.

"How much later?"

"I could...see you tomorrow night?" he ventured.

"That'd be great."

"Where can I pick you up?"

Melanie hesitated, just for a moment. He could tell she was torn, but between what he knew not.

"Better not...my folks are kinda strict...

"Lemme show you something." Naruto disentengled himself from her, turned his attention to a nearby portion of road. Kurama was quick to snap at him. **"Wait a second kit...what do you think you're doing?!** Too late. Naruto clenched his fingers into a fist and struck, wedging his palm into the street, burying it to the wrist. Before Melanie could ask what he was doing, the blond pulled. _Hard._ The street cracked away beneath his hand, crumbling as he exerted his superhuman strength upon it.

Melanie whistled.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that."

Naruto grinned.

"Change your mind yet?"

"Alright, alright." she relented beneath his penetrating gaze. "You can pick me up at my place." She proceded to tell him where she lived, how to get there, and when to pick her up. She almost seemed..._relieved_ as she gave him her cell phone number, exchanged with his. "But I gotta warn you...my mom and dad are...strange."

Naruto laughed again. He'd fought monsters, madmen and _demons_ in his days as a shinobi. Meeting Melanie's parents hardly qualified as strange! Still...he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was amis here at least, to him. Off, it seemed. Ah well. Beggars couldn't be choosers. Besides, he rather liked this Melanie. She had the same outsider feel about her that he'd had when he'd been a boy. Someone who didn't let others define her, who made her own path in the world. For her, he was willing to overlook some suspicious behavior. It wasn't as if she were a criminal or anything, right?

_Right?_

"Believe me, I'm used to strange."

"Is that so?"

"Oi, that's kinda harsh." Naruto rebuked with a mild frown.

"I call 'em as I see 'em." She elbowed him in the side playfully.

_As I see 'em..._

Naruto shook his head, banishing the memory.

"So...seven o'clock tomorrow, right?"

"Don't be late." She whispered, and with a light peck upon the cheek, was gone.

Naruto watched her go, shaking his head.

**"It seems I owe you an apology, kit." **Kurama actually sounded _abashed._** "Not only did you get a kiss, but you got yourself a girl! Kudos, to you!"**

_So it would seem._

Cautiously, the blond allowed himself to feel hopeful. Melanie seemed nice enough. A bit jaded, perhaps, but he'd been the same way once, hadn't he? She was a nice girl, he told himself. Rough around the edges to be sure, but then again he'd always liked his girls rough. Placing both hands in his pockets, the superhuman blond paced back the way he'd come, allowing his thoughts to drift towards better times. Happier times. Perhaps this was were his ill luck finally ran out. Years of killing criminals to no effect...and now he'd finally found someone.

Maybe things were starting to look up after all...?

He had no idea just how wrong he was. Then again, how could he? Back then he'd had no way of knowing Melanie was part of the Royal Flush Gang. There was no way of knowing what her parents were like nor who he would be meeting. Indeed, he was blissfully ignorant of it all. Ignorant of the conflict his tentative relationship with Mel would cause, that his prescence with her was about to usher him into perhaps his greatest conflict to date. Uzumaki Naruto had no way of knowing the mess he'd walked into. And tomorrow...

_...tomorrow he would find out just how wrong he had been about Melanie._

**A/N: Aaaaaand there you have it! Naruto meets and hits it off with Melanie instead of McGinnis...and she's actually taking him to meet her parents?! Ooh, this cannot end well. Not at all! For those of you who have seen the episode, you can expect quite a few changes with Naruto being present. Wonder how he'll react to learning she's part of the Royal Flush Gang? It is heavily implied that Naruto-eternal youth remember?-knew the old batman a.k.a Bruce, shortly before his retirement, but never discovered his identity. **

**Hence his interest in McGinnis; he thinks if he tails him long enough, he'll discover who the old bat was/is. Naruto is a little hesistant when it comes to relationships-his time with Sakuraly reaally messed him up-so can you blame him for being so hesitant? And with that done, I'm off to work! I sincerely look forward to hearing what you think of this chapter whenI get back!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review...Would You kindly? **

**R&R! =D**


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